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LindaM

Nov 22, 2003, 5:40 AM

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Can police keep your license???

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I've lived in Ajijic 6 years and continue to get different answers to this question. One insurance agent who is Mexican said that if you recieve a ticket the policeman will keep your driver's license if it's not a Mexican one and you must retrieve it when you pay the fine. She says it is illegal for them to retain your Mexican driver's license. Does anyone know for sure? I ask because there are a couple of policemen in Guad who enjoy stopping many from our community. So far, each time, I have told him it is against the law for him to keep my license and he has given it back. But...he has yet to write me a ticket. So now I'm wondering if he ever decides to write me a ticket, can he keep my Mexican driver's license?

Rolly

Nov 22, 2003, 6:35 AM

Post #2 of 10 (693 views)

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Re: [LindaM] Can police keep your license???

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They always take the license where I live in the state of Durango and across the river in Coahula.

Rolly Pirate

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Marlene

Nov 22, 2003, 6:56 AM

Post #3 of 10 (691 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Can police keep your license???

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Same here in Mazatlan. If they write the ticket, they take the DL away, whether it be foreign or local. Efficient way to get people to pay fines promptly. I have seen them take the car's registration document away too, when neither the owner of the car, nor the driver was present but the car was parked partially blocking someone's driveway. In order to get the registration for the car back, the owner was required to go down and pay the illegal parking ticket. I have seen them unscrewing license plates in the downtown area too, so that would be another method of collecting fines. There seems to be a good discount if you pay within the initial deadline.

(This post was edited by Marlene on Nov 22, 2003, 6:57 AM)

gpk

Nov 22, 2003, 8:56 AM

Post #4 of 10 (672 views)

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Re: [LindaM] Can police keep your license???

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In Guanajuato they take your license, your tarjeta de circulacion OR your license plate--you get to choose.

Don

Nov 23, 2003, 7:25 PM

Post #5 of 10 (594 views)

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Re: [LindaM] Can police keep your license???

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I just had a discussion with my nephew today about this issue. Although a business owner, he has done police work in Mexico City and Jalisco state. He still attends seminars and keeps up to date on new security, new police procedures and how to combat police corruption. He said you should check in the state where you live for the rules as they vary from state to state. In some state the drivers license is kept until the fine is paid, some keep only the license of people living outside of the city where you got the ticket, some take the vehicle license plate, etc. They do this to try to insure payment of the ticket. He said there is one city in the Metropolitan Monterrey area where the transito police carry credit card machines. If you get a ticket, you can pay on the spot. You don't pay with cash, but with your credit card. This helps stop police corruption, as the corrupt ones want cash.

He said it is illegal in the state of Jalisco for the police to take your license, car plates, etc. They need to see the license to record the information, but it is to be returned to you. That way you can pay the fine in the office nearest to your home instead of returning to the city where you got the ticket.

(This post was edited by Don on Nov 23, 2003, 7:27 PM)

LindaM

Nov 24, 2003, 6:57 AM

Post #6 of 10 (566 views)

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Re: [Don] Can police keep your license???

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Very interesting, Don. Thank you so much.

shoe

Nov 24, 2003, 7:18 AM

Post #7 of 10 (557 views)

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Re: [Don] Can police keep your license???

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Don, can you ask your nephew what the regulation is so that the people in Jalisco may print it out and carry it in their cars if they wish? That probably would be appreciated by many.

shoe

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

(This post was edited by shoe on Nov 24, 2003, 7:20 AM)

Don

Nov 24, 2003, 7:38 AM

Post #8 of 10 (552 views)

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Re: [shoe] Can police keep your license???

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Shoe:

I will check with him the next time I see him, to see if he knows the regulation number.

alex .

Nov 24, 2003, 9:33 AM

Post #9 of 10 (537 views)

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Re: [Marlene] removing plates

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Mine are fastened with pop-rivets, they aren't going anywhere.
Alex

Carron

Nov 25, 2003, 9:35 AM

Post #10 of 10 (487 views)

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Re: [alex .] removing plates

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During the many years we traveled in Mexico before we actually moved down here, we always removed our back license plate and put it on the inside of the back window. We had been advised it was legal and we never had any problems.